Beautiful Resting Places

Our Woodlands natural burial sites are dedicated to those who seek a green burial. The Woodlands look unlike other areas of the Burial Park, because the process of green burial is the first step in restoring the area to a natural, forested state. After a burial—without embalming and in a shroud or biodegradable casket—native plants and trees are planted on the grave surface and the body’s natural decomposition contributes to their growth. Traditional memorial markers are not used in the Woodlands, instead simple inscriptions are made on communal memorial boulders placed throughout the site.

The cumulative effect of all the burials occurring in the Woodlands is the creation of a restored forest with a conservation commitment that the site will be maintained in a natural state in perpetuity.

“On behalf of all of us, I would like to say a heartfelt thanks for all you did to personalize a very difficult time. Your approach was caring and sincere, with only our best interest at heart. We know that J. rests ‘in good hands’ at Royal Oak.”

The natural beauty of our rolling hills and well-maintained grounds provide a tranquil setting for a traditional earth burial. The first burial in the Burial Park occurred in November 1923 and to the current day, traditional casket burial remains the preference of many greater Victoria families. Once only designed for flat marker memorials, newer interment areas, opened after 2001, are now designed to accommodate upright monuments or flat markers.

Once the privilege of aristocracy and the wealthy, community mausoleums like the Royal Oak Mausoleum make crypt interment affordable for everyone.

The Royal Oak Mausoleum—Vancouver Island’s only community mausoleum—offers a dry and secure above-ground burial option. The mausoleum features stunning marble and granite galleries with marble-fronted crypts that can be adorned with personal memorials.